1. What is the energy-rich disequilibrium of hydrothermal vents and "black smokers"? Using the redox table, express this disequilibrium in terms of ?V.
2. The Krebs cycle is an exergonic cyclic pathway, in which carbon is oxidized and NAD+ (and FAD) is reduced. As Lane notes, "if the concentration of one intermediate builds up, it will tend to convert into the next..." If this is the case, how can the Krebs cycle be run in reverse?
3.Lane argues that the "primordial soup" is "thermodynamically flat"-essentially, that it is at equilibrium and that no energy can be extracted from it. Given the existence of life forms that can survive on fermentation, is Lane correct? Explain in a couple of sentences.